Meet your newly elected 2026 officers for the Area 9 Board of Directors! Their two year terms begin October 1, 2026. They will serve along with the the past chair, new new chair, and appointed board members.
Chair Elect
Stephen Wurst
Stephen Wurst currently serves as Director of Music Ministries and Organist at
McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church in Norman, OK, overseeing a vibrant
music ministry of ten graded ensembles. He directs 4 of the 7 handbell ensembles
there, which range from elementary ages to seasoned ringers. An active
composer of church music arrangements and handbell music, he is recently
published with Beckenhorst Press.
Stephen holds Doctor of Musical Arts and Masters degrees in organ performance
from the University of Oklahoma. His undergraduate studies were at Concordia
University Wisconsin, where he rang in the Alleluia Ringers under Dr. John
Behnke. He started ringing in a chime choir in his home church and has always
enjoyed directing and ringing with groups of all ages.
Secretary
Megan Corey
Megan Corey currently rings with the Tulsa Festival Ringers and at Boston Avenue
United Methodist Church in downtown Tulsa. She began ringing at McFarlin
Memorial United Methodist Church in Norman, Oklahoma, joining an ensemble in
fifth grade and developing a lifelong love of handbells.
She was selected for the National Youth Handbell Ensemble in 2016–2019 and
was named National Youth Handbell Musician of the Year in her first year. In
2021, she returned in a leadership role at the invitation of director Kevin
McChesney after aging out of eligibility. During 2021–2022, she served as
Handbell Intern at McFarlin Memorial, assisting six ensembles and occasionally
directing. She has participated in Area 9 events and previously taught festival
classes on technique and beginner bell tree.
Megan earned her bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science with a minor
in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and completed her Doctorate in
Occupational Therapy in 2025. She works as an Occupational Therapist at a rural
critical access hospital, serving patients across the lifespan.
She is honored to serve the Area 9 community and support handbell ministry
throughout the region.
Treasurer
Jeanne Christopherson
Jeanne Christopherson grew up in Northern California and has been involved in
music since the age of 12. In 1990, she registered for a college handbell course
and was instantly hooked. In 1997, after moving to the Dallas area and
substituting several times in rehearsal with the Dallas Handbell Ensemble, she was
invited by Arnold Sherman to join East Texas Handbell Ensemble in Tyler and rang
with them until the group disbanded in 2014. She served with the planning
committee for the original Pinnacle 2000, an AGEHR event designed for the
performing ringer; she subsequently co-chaired Pinnacle 2002 and chaired
Pinnacle 2004. She currently rings with Concert Bells of Fort Worth and the
Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Ringers in Dallas. Jeanne is honored to serve as the current Treasurer of Area 9. She retired from her day job in 2022 after 22 years as an Executive Assistant for technology executives with Bank of America and now stays busy with her home-based custom cookie decorating business. Jeanne and her husband, Brian, live in Plano with their two rambunctious pups. They are the proud parents of two grown children and enjoy spending time with their two wonderful grandchildren, ages 17 and 3, as often as possible.